


How to win over your host

by polarRabbit



Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eddie isn't a cat person but V is a manipulative lil shit, Other, kitty!Venom, mentions of ppl becoming alien food, protective Venom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2019-09-24 19:38:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17106878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polarRabbit/pseuds/polarRabbit
Summary: Earth’s atmosphere was like acid fumes slowly corroding their substance. That’s why they had to find a host, adjusted to the planet and willing to share a body. The biggest problem was always the ‚willing’ part. Unfortunately they couldn’t just latch onto another equal being and take control over them but had to be accepted in order to create a bond.Venom's natural appearance seems to frighten most humans, which leads them to taking over a cat's body.





	1. Lost & Found

**Author's Note:**

> Last upload this year and the beginning of a new multi chap fic. Something I told myself I wouldn't do anymore but I'm weak and really liked the idea of cat!Venom bullying Eddie into adopting them.

Earth’s atmosphere was like acid fumes slowly corroding their substance. That’s why they had to find a host, adjusted to the planet and willing to share a body. The biggest problem was always the ‚willing’ part. Unfortunately they couldn’t just latch onto another equal being and take control over them but had to be accepted in order to create a bond. An often very troublesome process with a low success rate, which was the reason that the Klyntar were almost extinct.

Venom was one of the few of his kind that were left and decided to try their luck on earth, where they had a huge population, overcrowding the planet. Surely one of the inhabitants would agree to become their host. It wasn’t like they were a mere parasite, they had to offer quite a lot in return. The ability to cure any sickness was just as impressive as their strength. Honestly their hosts should feel lucky to be chosen, yet they’d been solely met with rejection so far.

After the first few attempts they figured that their manifestation must appear threatening to humans, so they tried to figure out a more likeable shape. They couldn’t imitate the earthling’s shell good enough to pass as one of them, unable to hide their big, pale eyes and black, slick-looking surface. 

They found a new, promising source of inspiration upon coming across a building that advertised to be a pet store. Inside were a bunch of different inferior creatures. They could probably be used as temporary shells, but weren’t actual hosts. The symbiote was desperate enough to give it a chance. Their life was already on the line, so there’s nothing more to lose. Most importantly humans seemed to be extremely fond of those pets. Every so often one or a whole group of them would stop in front of the shop window and utter all sorts of excited noises. They gestured at the fur balls and recorded their pathetic maneuvers to gather attention with those small devices they all carried around.

The symbiote used the opportunity to sneak into the shop while everyone else was distracted. Their amorphous body sliding over the ground, contracting to stay as small and inconspicuously as possible. They hid behind a row of tanks, observing their surroundings. What pet should they pick? The ones in the tank seemed to be very limited if they needed to stay emerged in water all the time. There were others with feather held in cages. They were awfully noisy and twitchy, not a decent choice either. The furry creatures were acceptable. Especially those who just lounged around but appeared to have a muscular body and fangs similar to their own despite possessing a lot less. 

There’s a specimen that even had a completely black coloring. They’d found their prey and were quick to move towards them, avoiding people trampling them on the way before slipping in between the gaps of the small cell. The other creature eyed them curiously unsure what to make out of the unusual visitor. 

The symbiote didn’t give them the chance to decide if they’re a threat or a companion. Black tendrils connected with soft fur and fused with the skin underneath. They allowed themselves to get absorbed, spreading through the whole organism within seconds. Carefully spreading their new limbs they moved into a sitting position, blinking a few times before their eyesight adjusted itself. The current vessel felt rather constricting and fragile. Hopefully they’d find a proper host soon. Meanwhile, they’re watching the other fur owners, silently studying their behavior.  
One of them enjoyed playing with a stuffed piece of fabric while another sharpened their claws on a small post. The latter action at least made some sense to the symbiote. Always be prepared for a fight. The food that was offered in a bowl was disgusting with only the faintest traces of stale meat inside. What they yearned for were something bloody and fresh. Eating the other pets would certainly make a bad impression on any potential human host tho…

Every time someone came close to the cage they got their hopes up, getting on their hind legs and placing their front paws against the bars with a pleading look.

“Oh no, what’s with your eyes? Are you blind?“ A woman sent them a pitiful look, yet she didn’t take them with her. It was frustrating. At the end of the day the symbiote had become restless. The shop had closed some time ago and with no more humans milling around there was no point for them to stay around. They needed to find their host somewhere else. 

Denting the metal bars until he could fit the new body through them wasn’t a problem. Now that no one was around to judge them for their actions they also took the opportunity to catch some snacks. They left three tanks empty until their hunger was somewhat satisfied. Extending a single tendril they managed to unlock the door and escape without causing further damage. The streets weren’t as crowded anymore but not entirely empty either. Not having a specific destination in mind they followed whatever street they came across.

They saw a group of young humans huddling together in a billow of smoke. Too young, not fully grown yet. 

Humans nestled in doorways, sleeping or drinking. Too old. They could restore their health, but weren’t able to turn back time. The host he’s looking for wasn’t one of them.

Suddenly a man was stumbling into their path, forcing them to an abrupt halt.

//

“Woah, didn’t see you, buddy.“, Eddie apologized to the cat he’d almost ran over. Not like the cat could understand him and even if they could they definitely wouldn’t care. Mr Belvedere had taught him that lesson over and over again. Great, just when he’d managed to drink enough to forget his ex-girlfriend and their no longer existing relationship for a night he received a cat shaped reminder that brought back too many memories.

“I’m a dog person.“, he muttered to himself, rubbing a hand over the side of his face. They were loyal, good-hearted and forgiving as long as you were up for a round of fetch. A cat you couldn’t trust. One second they let you rub their belly the next one they randomly decided that they didn’t like the attention anymore and dug their claws in your skin. That’s one of the reasons Eddie didn’t attempt to kneel down and pet the stray. It might have vermin too.

“Stay out of the shadows.“, was his well-meant advice for the feline before he continued his way back to his flat. Home didn’t feel like a fitting term to describe his new accommodation. At least it had a bed he could fall into.

He’s about to turn right when someone bumped into his side, almost making him lose his balance. “Sorry!“, the other apologized, hastily walking past him into the alleyway where he just came from. Eddie didn’t care enough about the accident to dignify it with a reply. That was until he noticed that something was missing. His jacket felt lighter and upon rummaging through the pocket he couldn’t find his wallet. He couldn’t believe he’d just fallen for the oldest thief trick of all time. Turning back he could see the culprit, but the man was too far away already and there’s no chance he could catch up with him.

“Jokes on you, I’m dead broke, asshole!“, he shouted after the man, hoping that karma would kick his ass.

//

Venom had watched the whole exchange from a save distance. Upon observing what happened their first instinct was to figure out a way how they could turn the incident in their favor. If they helped the human in need he might feel grateful enough to become their host. Not immediately, but it was a good base to work on. 

Glancing at their favored human one more time they started running, chasing the thief down the alleyway and beyond. The man only slowed down when he was sure that no one was following him, unaware of the small shadow right behind him. The cat’s body was too small to bring a grown adult down, so they had to reveal their real form. It’d take some energy of which they didn’t have much to spare to begin with, but they knew how to compensate for the loss.

While the thief busied himself by checking out the content of the wallet, complaining about the lack of money the symbiote drew themselves up to their full height. Tiny paws turned into big clawed hands and in the end there’s nothing left that even slightly resembled a cat. The movement caught the man’s attention, making him gape at the creature in front of them and drop the wallet.

“The hell…what are you?“

 **“We are Venom.“** , the symbiote stated proudly with a face splitting grin, exposing their long, saliva dripping tongue. Finally, the man’s flight instinct seemed to kick in, jolting him out of his paralysis. Too late. They devoured him in a few bites, leaving behind nothing but a few blotches of blood. A wave of nutrients flooded their system, making them hum with delight. It was a real shame the feline’s body wasn’t able to store them. This way they needed to eat a lot more in order to stay functional. It was still the best meal they had since arriving at this toxic planet. 

They retreated into the small bundle of fur and got a hold of the wallet with their teeth, awkwardly carrying in their jaws. Hopefully the other human hadn’t gotten away yet. They picked up speed, running back to where they came from. Of course the stupid man hadn’t waited for them but he could still smell traces of his scent in the air and didn’t waste any time following it to a side street.

//

Eddie was fumbling with his keys, grumbling half formed curses when one of them slotted into the lock, yet the door refused to open until he pulled at the door knob at the same time. His efforts were rewarded with a clicking noise, and he was able to push the door open. About to enter the hallway he heard another sound behind him that he couldn’t identify as easily. Tilting his head to the side his eyes landed on a familiar looking black stray. They widened in astonishment when he caught sight of the object the cat had brought along.

“That’s my wallet.“, he stated somewhat dumbfounded, taking the few steps that separated him from the cat to crouch down in front of it.

“How did you get it back?“, Eddie wondered aloud, not exactly surprised when he got a blank look instead of a verbal response. „Nevermind…thank you, buddy.“, he expressed his gratitude with a small smile before carefully extracting the worn piece of leather from the cat’s mouth. Luckily it didn’t put up a fight and hadn’t drooled on it that much. Shoving the wallet back into his jacket he unbent from his position and made for the standing open front door, when he noticed that he was still being tailed.

"Hey I'm grateful for what you've done for me but I'm not a cat person." Hell he barely was a person at all at the moment. More like a stumbling mess who could barely scraped together enough money to pay rent and feed himself, even less a furry parasite. Why was he even explaining himself to a cat? He must be more drunk than he felt, which meant he's going to have a head splitting headache in the morning. Just another regret he could add to his steadily growing list. "Nothing personal.", Eddie muttered before quickly closing the door into the cat's face, ignoring the stab of guilt he felt in doing so.

//

The symbiote let out an offended yowl, scratching at the door, demanding to enter. After all they’d returned the man’s belonging and punished the thief. Maybe they should’ve brought along his head as proof. A grave mistake on their part. Next time they’d do better and there definitely would be a next time because they didn’t intend to give up on their chosen one that quickly. Surely he just needed some time to become more comfortable with them, to realize that he was better off bonded to them.


	2. Part of your world

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t just choose a devon rex as Venom’s first host because of their looks but also because I think their character matches V’s pretty well. They tend to be clingy and pick their caregiver themselves. They don’t like to be left alone and are often temperamental. Sounds like a certain symbiote to me! The day I won’t include a Disney line in one of my works will be the day I stop writing.

Sitting on the doorstep of their future host the symbiote came to the conclusion that the best way for his human to get used to them would be to be with them all the time. After all that’s how it was gonna be as soon as they’re bonded anyway. For this reason they couldn’t allow a door or anything else stand between them. Three floors above the window lit up for a few minutes before it turned dark again. Venom took it as a signal to scale the house wall, sharp claws easily digging into the red bricks. They stopped right underneath the windowsill, using the protruding edge to pull themselves onto the slim surface. The tilted window was basically an open invitation, one they were more than willing to accept. A look inside revealed a small, messy room. Dishes were stacked like towers, boxes and various articles of clothing littered the ground. Truth to be told it wasn’t a very inviting view. Didn’t humans clean up after themselves or did he just pick a particular untidy one?

Not wanting to waste any more time sitting outside when there was an available shelter right in front of them Venom slipped through the small gap between the window and the frame. They soundlessly landed on all fours by instinct, positively surprised by their backup host’s abilities. Their vision wasn’t altered despite the lack of light either.

Human’s internal warning system must be inferior, considering that his host didn’t pick up on someone entering their territory. He didn’t even stir when Venom jumped on top of the furniture the man was sleeping on. Such an easy, vulnerable prey. The symbiote could feel their mouth starting to water. Their big black pupils momentarily disappearing and the pale yellow iris turned entirely white. It was a constant struggle not to allow their distinct features to mingle with the ones of their current host. 

Carefully climbing on their human’s chest they curled up right on the center and about the rhythmically beating heart. Just like expected the human didn’t react. The symbiote allowed themselves to relax as well, partly melting and attaching a few of their tendrils to the human’s skin. The body warmth was comforting and the steady rush of blood flowing through the vessels lulled Venom into a state of trance. For the first time since their arrival at earth they found some time to rest, their mind turning blissfully blank.

//

Blinking his eyes Eddie waited for the black smudge in his vision to disappear. Slowly everything became less blurry but the dark spot was still there and as it turned out it wasn’t just one of his crumpled shirts. It was a small, black cat staring right back at him with big eyes and a rather smug expression.

“You aren’t supposed to be in here.“ Eddie mumbled, palm rubbing across his face. It was way too early to deal with an uninvited guest. The cat let out a yawn as if to say ‚I don’t care about your opinion’, which was probably a pretty on point interpretation on Eddie’s part. Uttering a long-suffering sigh he decided that this was a problem for future, more awake Eddie to handle. His present self needed coffee or an adrenalin injection straight to the heart.

Rolling onto his side the cat was smart enough to move, getting out of bed a lot more gracefully than Eddie, who shuffled to the kitchen barefoot. With no clean mug available, he grabbed the one with the least coffee residues he’d used the previous day as well. It couldn’t hurt, only intensifying the taste of the instant coffee powder he poured into it while waiting for the water to boil. The cat hopped onto the kitchen counter, curiously sniffing at the coffee in the making and Eddie had to push their head away before it could get stuck in the cup. 

“That stuff’s bad for you.“, he scolded the feline with a light frown, wondering why some animals had no self-preservation instincts whatsoever. You had to teach them the most basic stuff and then hope they’d remember the lessons. He didn’t have anything to feed to the cat, which was for the better because baiting it like that would only result in the stray coming around more often and this one time was more than enough already. 

The sight of the empty fridge made his stomach rumble in protest. Eddie definitely was in need of some groceries, despite his savings rapidly dwindling. Damn, he needed a job with a steady income. That reminded him that he had wanted to visit the restaurant that’s looking for a dishwasher. Not the most prestigious work, but he’d be literally living the American Dream. He just had to get the job and become rich. Easy, why hadn’t he thought of that before when he’s still a more or less known reporter? Right, he’d been too busy saving money to buy Annie a ring and plan their honeymoon road trip.

“I’m an idiot.“, he mumbled to himself, earning an affirmative noise from the cat. Rude.

Waiting for his coffee’s temperature to drop below tongue melting heat Eddie decided to take a quick shower, putting the mug into the mini oven, just to make sure the stupid cat wouldn’t try to slobber into it. He wanted to make a good, first impression and it usually helped not smelling like a garbage can during summer time. Another challenge would be to find a shirt that didn’t have any sweat stains yet. He’d just start the washing machine once he’s out for groceries and hope everything would be dried til the late afternoon.

Walking into the bath Eddie was followed by his new shadow, unable to close the door before the cat had slipped inside the cramped room, strutting around like it already owned the place.

“Stay out or you’re gonna get a shower too.“, Eddie gave a weak warning, shedding his cloths, uncaring that his sweatpants landed on the cat’s head. Climbing into the tub he turned on the water, letting out a short shout as the cold water hit his skin. Honestly it wasn’t even a surprise, he knew that it needed some time to warm up, but he didn’t have the time or patience and this way he’d at least be fully awake afterwards. The cat chose not to join him for once and Eddie focused on washing himself, unaware that a set of pale eyes watched his every move.

With a towel wrapped around his waist Eddie returned to the kitchen, leaving a trail of water droplets on the floor. The coffee was just right, and he slugged it down like milk, relishing in the bitter taste with his eyes closed. That’s the fuel that kept him going, hopes and dreams be damned.

His uninvited guest let out a mewl combined with a pitiful look on his face that all animals could pull off when it came to begging for food. “I don’t have anything, you saw my fridge, buddy. Go outside and catch some rats.“ There should be more than enough around the dumpsters and the originally use of cats was pest control after all. Eddie sauntered out of the kitchen to dress up and get ready to leave the flat. Opening the front door his neighbor seemed to take this as a sign to turn up his music, the bass rattling the floorboards and Eddie’s brain. The guy must be deaf at this point, which would explain why he never reacted to Eddie knocking on his door. He could feel the pressure of an incoming headache spreading behind his forehead. Apparently the cat didn’t like the volume of the music either, downright howling in displeasure before racing down the stairs to get away from the source of the terrible noise.

//

Eddie had hoped that the noise disturbance had frightened the stray enough to leave for good, but he had no such luck. The little gremlin continued to tail him as soon as he left the alley, heading for his usual supermarket, only to find out that the store had been temporarily closed due to renovation works. “You’re bringing me bad luck.“, he accused the cat, which stared up at him with big, innocent eyes. Well, he wasn’t buying it.

Walking down the street he eventually found a small Asian shop that looked affordable. The inside smelled like joss sticks and a wild mix of herbs that would probably never find their way into Eddie’s pot. Greeting the cashier behind the counter with a curt nod Eddie strolled through the shelves.

“Pets aren’t allowed.“, the shop owner informed him with a disapproving look.

“It’s not mine.“, Eddie remarked with a resigned sigh, pulling open the door of the freezer to retrieve a bag of tater tots. They’re on sale, and he wasn’t picky. Meanwhile, the cat stuck its paw into the freezer, trying to fish for their own food. Eddie ushered them away and quickly pulled the door close again. It felt like going shopping with a toddler, a kleptomaniac one.

“It seems very attached to you.“, the woman pointed out, eyeing the cat with a frown when they both walked up to the register, Eddie paying for the purchase while the stray nudged its head against his calve. „It just wants food.“, he returned with a shrug, holding the plastic bag in one and just on cue the little demon curiously sniffed at it. “That’s frozen, dummy.“, Eddie chided the nameless stray, leaving the small shop, but holding the door open, because he wasn’t a complete jerk.

With dinner taken care of Eddie just wanted to get the food into his freezer before it could turn soggy. His companion had other plans. They walked by wall that was constructed out of tanks, holding live lobsters and crabs. It felt a bit like walking past a really crappy aquarium, at least he didn’t have to pay an entry fee. The cat was eyeing the crustaceans with growing interest, then suddenly darted forward without a warning and ran into the open door of the small restaurant. Eddie almost dropped his groceries when he saw the black beast jump and dice gracelessly in the water with a loud splash. 

He didn’t have to wait long for the people inside to react, a babel of voices and not a single one of them sounding amused about the cats antics. Eddie should just keep walking, pretending he didn’t know the troublemaker. It wasn’t even his cat to begin with! 

The owner of the shop looked furious tho, trying to haul the cat out of the tank. Weren’t cats supposed to hate water and tried to stay away from it if possible? Well, his special snowflake didn’t get the memo, deep diving for lobsters. “Sorry, I’m sorry.“, he apologized, head ducked, while he grabbed for the slippery feline, luckily catching it before the pissed looking guy could get the chance and maybe break their neck. He fled the shop with a steady stream of apologies, and a dripping cat that proudly held a lobster tail between their teeth. Great, he couldn't take this specific road again for the next few…however long it would take those people to forget about his face and the thieving cat.

“Why can’t you hunt for vermin on the street like a normal stray?“, he complained with an annoyed huff, dropping the cat back down onto the ground once they’d rounded the corner, and he was sure they weren’t being followed. Despite looking like a wrung out towel the black feline stalked forward as if Eddie needed directions back to his apartment. „I don’t like your attitude.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry for another short chapter and the long wait... V is finally gonna reveal his true self to Eddie in the next chap ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿

**Author's Note:**

> I've recently discovered the existence of Devon Rex cats, so V's current host is supposed to look like this in case you want an image to go with the story. Happy Holidays!  
> 


End file.
